Search This Blog

Palestinians Abroad: Chihadeh on the brink of a Swiss Super League move

Saleh Chihadeh's star has been on the rise this year and it culminated last weekend with the goal that promoted his side, SC Kriens, to the Swiss Challenge League.

That goal was one of eighteen strikes this season for the 23 year old striker who has made his mark in a less than traditional fashion. Unlike other footballing phenoms, Chihadeh's path to the national team and to top level European football has been a long and winding one.

Until this season he plied his trade in Switzerland's fourth tier, mostly with his hometown side, FC Naters. A whopping return of 60 goals in 138 prompted Kriens to give him a go in the third tier of Swiss Football. His adaptation has been quick and his rise magnificent- 18 goals and 3 assist in 28 games helped Kriens win the Promotion League and ascend to the Swiss second tier. The question is, will Chihadeh be with them at the start of next season?

Chihadeh's final game of the season is this Saturday against Stade Luasanne and it might be his final game of the club. After scoring against 13/15 opposing sides in the league, and racking up the most goals from open play in the league, many scouts from the nation's top tier- the Super League now have their eyes set on Chihadeh.

The two sides most heavily linked are FC Sion and FC Thun.

Saleh Chihadeh spent a year on the books of FC Thun and scored seven times in 25 matches for their U21 team.FC Sion might just have the inside track on the Palestinian's signature with former Naters manager, Christian Zermatten, now part of the technical staff at Sion. In an interview with Le Nouvelliste, Zermatten spoke of Chihadeh in glowing terms as a "great worker and hard trainer with a singular focus on football." Zermatten also spoke to the player's multidimensional nature stating that "he could play on the left or right, or through the middle" while also expressing confidence in the player's ability to adapt to top level football. There is, of course, a push from SC Kriens to keep him at the club for their upcoming season in the Challenge League. The player has been mum on his next move and has told"We want to keep him in Kriens," says sporting director Bruno Galliker, "but it is clear that he has now become attractive to many suitors in the market. I'll meet him for lunch next week. Then we'll know more."

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Popular Posts

Several Asian sides will be looking to improve their FIFA Rank with the draw date for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals fast approaching. The Asian Football Confederation had announced that April's FIFA ranking would be used to see the teams ahead of the draw.

The draw procedure for the expanded 24-team tournament will organize teams into four pots. The five strongest sides in Asia will be placed in Pot 1, alongside the hosts, United Arab Emirates.

The decision to combine World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying will inadvertently harm teams that advanced to the final stage of World Cup qualifying- by denying them a chance to significantly add to their point totals this month.

Östersunds- the plucky Swedish club that was on nobody's radar two years ago- nearly pulled off the mother of all upsets at the Emirates Stadium last night.

Last week, Hosam Aiesh was an injury scratch as Arsenal made easy work of the Allsvenskan side in the Arctic circle. An 0-3 first leg score, featured a late penalty save from Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina leaving the Swedish minnows needing a miracle to progress to the Round of 16 of the Europa League.

That miracle seemed to be on the cards 24 minutes into the second leg- and the man to start the comeback? Hosam Aiesh.